A Strange and New Relationship
by crzy1emo1chick
Summary: Shi made her debut appearance in "A Strange and Backwards Relationship" and "A Strange Life" but what would have happened if instead of making it back to the Chunin Exams, she and her team are taken hostage by the Akatsuki. "One question though…will we receive matching cloaks?" ItachiXOC PeinXOC ? "Unknown"XOC In collaboration with iBuhnie's "Strange New Beginnings".


Same people, similar relationships, different scenarios and the timing is different.

Instead of returning home in time for the Chūnin Exams, like in my _**A Strange and Backwards Relationship, **_Shi and her team are kidnapped by the Akatsuki. Much chaos ensures.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Dammit! I hated being cooped up alone. It was suffocating and I couldn't handle solitary any longer, so I began planning my escape.

Aki, my bubbly teammate, was down in the basement occasionally working with Zetsu with anything medical. She was just close enough to where I could still hear her thoughts. She seemed content.

Naoko, except for the few times she would visit Aki, was otherwise out of my range. She, they decided, would be kept upstairs with the others. I could not understand how she had been able to convince them, if they believed her to be harmless she would have been killed instantly. However, if thought of as a threat, wouldn't she be locked up as well?

Naoko and Aki, twins of nineteen years had been my friends and teammates since we were little. They only had each other, well, and me. Aki and Naoko are almost nothing alike. They both had the same jet black hair, though Aki with the blue eyes and Naoko with green. Naoko was always a great fighter while Aki was the thinker, always planning everything out, but she's also a medic specialist. However, they both showed characteristics that reminded me of the other. I also had black hair, like the Twins, but dark red eyes. While both girls kept their black hair past their shoulders, I had mine short and often spiked in every odd direction.

I had lost track of how long we were locked up, but it was long enough for my hair to start growing again. It almost reached my shoulders and since we weren't out fighting it did not get in my way as often. The three of us had matching piercings, four in each ear and one on the face. Aki had her eyebrow pierced, while her sister had one through the middle of her lower lip and I had one through my tongue. We had them placed in the spots that they were in because they reminded us of our past that we left behind.

With thoughts of my team, I sat down in the middle of the room and began to think. We needed a way out of here; we all needed to leave at once. I couldn't risk one of my teammates by not doing so. We all leave, or no one.

I did not know for certain why I was locked up. The only person that ever came up here was Itachi, and that was only to give me food. They could have sent _anyone_ but no…it had to be him.

Itachi and I knew each other since we were younger. We had been in the academy at the same time, graduated with each other…and at one point, he had been sweet. But once we arrived here, he was the shinobi that the bingo book warned about. He wasn't the Itachi I once fell for at the academy.

I was deep in thought over both the escape and the shinobi I once knew and it hurt. A knock on the door pilled me from my debate. The owner of the chakra that was sizzling on the other side belonged to no other than the sadistic weasel himself.

Without waiting for an answer, he opened the door and barged in. I was at the point of beyond caring so I sat there in silence, letting him speak.

"Good, you're awake." His voice was deep, emotionless, and hard…the words were empty and uncaring.

"Yeah, what of it?" My reply was just as gruff. If he noticed, he didn't show it. If he cared, he hid it well.

"Your presence has been requested."

Requested…not demanded. SO if I were to say no, I didn't have to be there…but this might be the only chance to leave the room.

He then continued, not giving me a real chance to answer. "Something might happen to your teammates if you choose not to accept."

Well, it seemed that my mind had been made up for me. I gave him a simple glare to which he returned. Grumbling to myself, I followed him out.

Aki's voice rang through my mind. _**Shi and Itachi, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S**_

I tried to block out her thoughts, but that was near impossible.

Our entire journey towards the others was spent in silence. Standing next to someone I had once known so well now scared me. He had changed so drastically that I was unable to find the young boy I had once knew. It hurt more that I lost the one person outside of my own team that I fought so hard for.

I needed to know what he was thinking, I needed to know what he thought of all this…but no matter how bad I needed to know, I had promised him that I would never purposely intrude on his thoughts. Even though we grew apart, I felt that I should still keep my promise to him.

My family's kekkei genkai allowed me the privilege to read the thoughts of those around me. It wasn't something that I could turn off but for Itachi and the girls I tried to keep it off my mind.

"Itachi…"

He glanced down at my smaller form then back at the hallway, "yes?"

"Why am I…?" I cleared my throat and tried again. "Why am I locked up away from everyone else?"

"That will be discussed." That was all he said. I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to tell him how much I missed him and hold him close, bawling my eyes out. But, most of all, I wanted to tell him how I really felt. Maybe if I had told him when we were younger things would be different…at least he would know.

The silence seemed deafening from the thoughts rushing through my head. I was so close to bringing up our past when we stumbled into what looked like a large meeting room. The room was full; however, I only recognized four people, Itachi included. Naoko and Aki were seated side by side, and next to Aki was the one I knew as Zetsu. The only time I had seen him was through Aki's thoughts, so he seemed different.

Aki and Naoko looked different as well. Their hair had grown longer and had what seemed like bags under their eyes. When they noticed Itachi and I walk in, their eyes widened and they lit up. I looked away from the room and hid behind my hair. I was still wary of being in front of people, dressed like I was because of the scars -

"Matte-Chan! Hello, welcome!"

I stared up towards the one who called my name. He seemed tall, and from the way he acted childlike made me think that he might be new. His face was covered by an orange mask with a swirly pattern, showing only his right eye. Like the rest, he wore the Akatsuki cloak, a black background with red clouds. On his left thumb he wore a violet ring with the Kanji word for 'jewel'.

I looked him over a couple times, sizing him up then snorted. "Good morning to you too, Tobi-jukeisha."

A hand flew out towards me, but I caught it, twisted his arm and tripping him. He crashed to the floor, clutching his hand to his chest, and I met his gaze. His move.

I searched through his and everyone's thoughts and found that this was the one called Kakuzu.

"You little brat!"

"I learned at a young age that if you let your guard down, you die. Sound familiar, Kakuzu?" I lowered my gaze and found a seat next to Naoko.

Actually, Hidan had been seated next to her, but I was able to convince him to move by removing the seat from under his butt. He collapsed to the floor and I slipped in the then empty seat.

"Remind me again why we can't just fucking kill her now," Hidan growled.

"You want me dead? That's perfectly healthy for this hate-hate relationship we have going on right now. Don't worry your pretty little head, I want to _fucking_ slaughter you as well."

Before I knew it, this weird black…tentacle object wrapped itself around me, starting from my legs and working its way up. Within seconds, I was tied and trapped against the chair. Things happened so quickly that I was unable to struggle. It could have been rather easy to escape but I didn't want to have to deal with their bullshit.

"Kakuzu, is this truly necessary?"

"She was brought down here for a reason and she will sit and listen if she wants to or not."

I leaned back against the chair and the tentacles tightened. "I'll be good; let's get started."

Hidan growled and shook his head. He finally stood to his feet and pulled out the chair next to me, planning to sit himself. Itachi seemed to not like that and stared him down. They glared at each other for what seemed like hours, which was only seconds, hoping one would back down. This was apparently normal for these two by the way everyone ignored them. I took this moment to become acquainted with everyone's thoughts.

_**Can we just get on with things?**_

_**This is a pain.**_

_**Let's just kill them and get it over with.**_

_**Shi…**_My head shot up to Naoko. _**Do you have a plan?**_

I attempted to shrug. Maybe, but it would take some time. "Hidan, go sit next to Tobi…I don't want your stupid ass sitting next to me anyway."

Hidan pushed past Itachi and slipped into the seat across from me, eyes leveled in my direction. Itachi pulled the chair next to me, his eyes never leaving Hidan.

I looked up at Tobi and found him huddled over the table. His carefree demeanor had changed. He wasn't all hyped up and it actually looked like he was sad. I believe I heard him murmur "Tobi is a good boy, right?"

The male that day at the head of the table stood up. His hair looked like a mess but it was cute, I guess. A small sequel came directly from my side. Naoko then began coughing and cleared her throat a couple times. Aki hid a chuckle behind her hand.

_**This...this is how he's changed? I…**_ then a bunch of jumbled thoughts followed. I raised an eyebrow but turned back to Pein.

"My name is..."

"Look," I interrupted, "I don't give a damn who you are. In fact, I already know! So just tell me why my team and I were taken, Nagato...or do you go by Pein now? Or is it Deva...Asura, Human-"

"Is she getting to a point?"

"-Animal, Preta, Naraka..."

Konan cut in, "Okay, so you know about the Six Paths of Pain."

"Ah, sweet Konan. It's not only that. I know of how they came to be, who they are... I know about Yahiko...Obito...Madara..." The threads around my body began to tighten until it was hard to breathe.  
"She knows too much!" Kakuzu stood

to his feet and flung his hands against the table.

"Sit down, Kakuzu!" Pein folded his hands and stared at me. "How do you think she learned this? We need her alive, and to be alive she needs to breathe."

Tobi giggled, "Matte-chan is turning blue."

"Kakuzu, release her," Itachi growled.

"And why do you care so much?"

Aki's eyes darted from Pein to me then over to Kakuzu and then Itachi. _**Shi, what do we do?**_

Well, first, I have to start breathing again and we'll go from there.

Naoko rolled her neck, cracking it in a couple places. "Okay, this is just getting ridiculous. "

"We need her alive," Itachi slammed a fist on the table, mocking Kakuzu. "What about that do you not understand?"

Four minutes ago, I would have been able to escape from these binds, but now my hands were tied to my side and I was unable to move. I looked up at Aki who was biting her lip at me and Naoko. She decided t o lean back and cross her legs on the table. Naoko…she looked enraged at being ignored.

"She's a fucking rodent and a fucking threat against us all," Hidan had to butt in again.

I opened my mouth to say something but was interrupted. "So she knows about us, that doesn't mean that she is a threat."

I rolled my eyes but tried again. "If I could –"

"You're just a fucking pussy, wimping out on killing someone because you came from the same fucking village."

"That –"

Again I was ignored and interrupted. "Or is there more to it? DO you have some fucking feelings for this bitch? Is that it? Does she mean something to you?" His voice was emphasized by his partner squeezing on the threads.

I started to become light headed and unable to breathe. I even stopped trying to talk because that hurt. Naoko had finally had enough with the bickering and stood up. Everyone seemed to ignore her so she went on with her supposed plan. "This is not the –"

Deidara piped up. "Even if she means anything to Itachi, why would it matter to you?"

Zetsu nodded, "You would have fun killing her nonetheless, _**as would I**_**."**

Naoko huffed and stepped away from the table, almost as if she were walking away. She stood behind her seat for a moment and placed her hands on the back. She looked at her sister than glanced at me. The next second she had lifted the chair and hurled it towards Kakuzu. Using that moment of shock, she and Aki planted their feet on the edge of the table and launched it forward towards Kakuzu. This had put everyone in shock which threw him out of his concentration. The tentacles loosened and I made my escape.

Everyone bolted away from the shattered wood in shock. I bent down and grabbed a large piece that could do the job.

"So you need me alive, huh? But you enjoy playing too much…" I raised the makeshift weapon to my neck and chuckled. "I can think of a way to get things moving smoothly.

"You'd kill yourself? You're on crazy bitch," Hidan burst into laughter.

I couldn't help but smile. "It's one of my 'self rules', to be ready to die at any moment…to not be afraid of death.

"It's always been something I've waited for. In fact, every time I go into battle, I hope that it is my last. But…if you need me alive, I would want nothing more than to die."

Konan sighed, "It's always the crazy ones. Why can't we find someone that's sane?"

"What do you want?"

"I should ask you the same thing, Pein, but if you're asking…I want your word that no harm will come to the three of us, for if something does happen, I will not hesitate in killing every one of your men and save you for last."

Pein shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Fine, fine. No harm will come to either of you."

Walking past Naoko, I handed her the makeshift knife and stood directly in front of Pein. "In order for us to work together, we must trust each other." I grabbed his wrist and gripped tightly.

"What are you –"

"Shut up."

My mind rushed with the transition of thoughts. Memories from his mind flashed before my eyes as the same did for him. I wasn't interested in most of his life, only parts such as when we were first taken. I needed to see his true reasoning for us being here and not some story he conjured up.

It seemed that his intentions were simple. He and another had planned to force us to join. We were just needed for our abilities. I would be used for espionage while the girls would be split up as where they were needed.

I released his arm and took a step backwards, smiling. "It's much like what you can do in your Human Path, a mind reading of sorts, only enhanced. It only requires skin to skin contact to share thoughts and memories. It's actually very difficult, as you would know, but I was taught by the greatest. Within seconds, you have seen the majority of my life. You have felt the emotions that I have lived through, and seen what I have seen. I hope from that you can trust me as your equal."

He blinked, still in shock over what he witnessed. It was pretty intense, I had to admit. I would have to do the same with a certain other shinobi.

"One question though…will we receive matching cloaks?"


End file.
